Worcester police make arrest in graffiti investigation

WORCESTER — Police nabbed a 21-year-old Leicester man early Saturday morning after eight buildings were hit with graffiti, the latest in a series of such vandalism to hit the city in recent weeks.

Authorities have been investigating the spray-painting of symbols and signatures — called tagging — on properties throughout Worcester.

Police received reports about 2:30 Saturday morning that commercial buildings had been tagged in the Tatnuck Square area.

A short time later, an officer saw two men spray-painting graffiti on a nearby building at 360 Park Ave.

The officer was able to catch one of the men, but the other fled the area. An extensive search came up empty.

The color and the words being painted on the Park Avenue property matched the color and words on the buildings in Tatnuck Square, according to police.

The apprehended man, Danny Nguyen, 21, of 7 North Court, Leicester, was charged with trespassing, willful and malicious destruction of property and carrying a dangerous weapon, a knife. Police said he was carrying a butterfly knife.

Detectives are investigating whether the two men are responsible for other tagging in the city. They are trying to identify the second man.

Mr. Nguyen was also charged with vandalizing and tagging property back in June.

At 4 p.m. June 12, a police officer was patrolling the area around Illinois and Gates streets when he saw a man (later identified as Mr. Nguyen) exit his vehicle, run toward a concrete wall and start to draw on the property with blue colored markings. The wall is part of the bridge at the end of Gates Street by Walpole Street. Mr. Nguyen was also in possession of evidence linking him to the crime.

Robert L. Moylan Jr., commissioner of public works and parks, said Friday, before the overnight arrest, that several spots in the city had been hit with tags.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incidents to contact them by sending an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD, or sending an anonymous Web-based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.